(Newser)
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A film currently working its way through Hollywood development has everything a movie producer could want: animals, family reunions, and a story people already know about. The film is Christian the Lion, based on a pair of Brits who bought a lonely lion cub at Harrod's department store, raised it and reintroduced it to Africa, only to have it recognize them in an emotional reunion in the wild a year later.

Christian the Lion has attracted the attention of prominent producer Neal Moritz, who was behind TheFast and the Furious and I Am Legend. Combined with the YouTube viral-video success of a piece of an older documentary—aided by Whitney Houston's music—Christian the Lion could become Hollywood tearjerker gold, the Los Angeles Times speculates.

I've seen this clip several times, and it never fails to touch my heart, but 120 minutes of content might be stretching it pretty thin. But it might make a good kids movie... if it wasn't like... 2 guys living together, raising a cat... sounds vaguely... gay. Best of luck though, it certainly goes right to the heart, every time.

UnrighteousFury

Jul 9, 2010 6:57 AM CDT

I think part of the original clip's charm is that its so short and you can just kind of watch it when you need a quick pick-me-up. I can't imagine that a movie-length retelling would be anywhere near as good.

DarkFrancis

Jul 9, 2010 5:16 AM CDT

I love this story and video, but the version presented here is horrible. I cannot stand this force-feeding of emotion. You have a beautiful story here. All it requires is a little background. Two guys meet up with a lion they raised and, unexpectedly, it remembers them and greets them with warmth and tenderness. It's all there. Sticking a sickly music bed under it lessens its value as an emotive piece. I know the intention was to make it MORE affecting, but for fuck's sake, the story alone is enough. It's like a newsreader telling me the shaggy dog story is heartwarming or a fatal car accident is tragic. Stop fucking telling us how we should feel about what we are presented and just let us feel it. We're humans, we're capable...it's already in us.